Golf bag support



March 31., 1953 H. s. MARSH GOLF BAG 'SUPPORT Filed Sept. 2. 1949 2Sl-lEETS-SHEET l HERBERT 5. MARSH,

' INVENTOR.

4% AT RNEK 0 f f Q March 31, 1953 H. s. MARSH GOLF BAG SUPPORT 2SWETS-SI-IEET 2 Filed Sept. 2. 1949 INVENTOR. z%%

HERBERT s. MARSH,

ATTO NEK Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to golf bag supports, and more particularly toone which will support a golf bag in an upright or vertica1 position.

The device of the present invention, in the broadest aspects thereof,comprises an elongate casing housing a pin normally held within thecasing but movable therefrom to extend beyond the lower edge of thebottom of the bag and into the ground to hold the bag in an uprightposition. Such devices have been heretofore proposed but have not beenmanufactured and sold in any large quantity for a number of reasons. Theprincipal objection to these prior devices has been to the manner inwhich their makers have proposed to mount the same to the bags.

In some cases these prior devices have been mounted to the bag and byclampingly supporting a bracket or the like to the upper and lower edgesof the bag. If the bracket was securely fixed to the bag, the upper edgeof the same often buckled or broke down, which not only marred theappearance of the bag but also impaired the support itself. As many golfbags differ in height or depth, it was diificult, if not impossible, tomount some of the devices heretofore proposed to some bags, for therewas no means for accommodating the differences in depth between bags.This was particularly true of those prior devices which were providedwith an elongate, bracket-like support having means at opposite endsthereof intended to engage the'upper and lower edges of the bag.

In other instances the prior devices were formed with a bracket providedwith apertures for passing fastening elements, such as rivets, whichwere used to secure the bracket to the wall of the golf bag. This, ofcourse, required'that the wall of the bag .be cut to receive thefastening elements and the latter after some'use oftentimes tore loosefrom the wall of the bag'to which they were secured. If repairs were notmade to the wall of the bag, it was difficult to remount the bracketsecurely, and if the bracket-was not remounted the tornopeningsdetracted from-the appearance of the bag.

These difficulties are not had with the device of the present invention,for the same can be mounted to any golf bag and without cutting orperforating the material of the same. The mounting means of the deviceof the present invention comprises a clamping element fixed to the lowerend of the casing which is intended to encircle the lower edge of thebag. As the lower edge portions of golf bags are reenforced to supportthe weightof the clubs -carried within the bags, the clamp can be verysecurely tight ened about the embraced portion of the bag to rigidlymount the lower end of the casing. The upper end of the casing carriesan elongate rod element which is longitudinally adjustable relative tothe casing. This rod extends above the upper face of the casing and isintended to be inserted into or through the buckle used to adjustablysecure the lower end of the strap, which forms the support for the .bagon the shoulder of the user. Although the distance between the loweredge portionof the bag about which the clamp is secured and the bucklemay differ in bags of different manufacturers, this presents nodifficulty, for the rod, as above explained, is adjustablelongitudinally of the casing, so that the device of the presentinvention may be easily attached. to any golf bag.

In the one embodiment of the bag of the present invention the rod isadjustably carried 'to the one side of the casing by a support elementfixed to the upper end of the casing. In another embodiment of thedevice herein shown the rod is coaxially mounted to the upper end of thecasing by support means which close the upper end of the same. As somegolf bags are furnished with a small pouch fixed-to the wall of the bagjust below the shoulder strap for receiving and storing spare balls, oneembodiment of the present invention is formed with a rod which is curvedoutwardly and then'inwardly to form a laterally offset portion toprovide clearance for such pouc'h.- In this embodiment of the invention,the rod; although free to move longitudinally of the casing, is heldagainst rotation so that the offset portion can not swing outwardly andoverlay the pouch.'

Other features and advantages of the present invention will behereinafter apparent from the following description, particularly whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one form of the device of the presentinvention shown mounted to a golf'bag;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the deviceshown in'Figure'l removed from the golf bag; I

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2';

Figure 4 is a sec'tion'taken along line 5- 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view; similar to Figure l but show'inga modified form ofthe device of the present invention mounted ma golf bag;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 6, the devicebeing shown removed from the golf bag;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of thedevice of the present invention; and

Figure 9 is an elevational view similar to Figure 1 but on a slightlyreduced scale showing a still further modified form of the device.

The device of the present invention, in the embodiment thereof shown inFigure 1, comprises a tubular casing H3 in which is mounted forlongitudinal movement an elongate pin l I having the lower end thereofformed as a relatively sharp point 12. The pin H is supported formovement within the casing 10 by a cylindrical bearing member 53 fixedabout the pin H by means of a small transversely extending rivet orother fastening element M. The cylindrical surface of the bearing memberengages the inner wall surface of the casing 10 to support and guide thepin in its movement longitudinally of the casing [0.

A second bearing member l spaced from the bearing member i3 is fixed tothe pin l I by rivets it or the like and is also formed with externalcylindrical surfaces which closely engage the internal cylindrical wallsurface of the casing [0. The bearing [5 is provided with a laterallyextending arm ll which extends outwardly of the casing through a slot islongitudinally formed in the wall of the casing Hi. The arm 11 carriesor supports a pedal or foot-engaging member l9, preferably formed withan upper surface knurled as shown at 2i in Figure 4.

The lower end of the casing I0 is closed by a plug-like element 22having a centrally located passage formed therethrough for passing thepin H when a downwardly exerted force is applied against the pedalelement 19. This can be most conveniently accomplished by the userplacing his foot against the pedal 19 and then applying a downwardlyexerted force which will consequently move the pin downwardly andoutward ly through the lower end of the casing H1.

The pin l I is normally retained within the easing It by means of acoiled spring 23 carried within the upper end of the casing. The upperend of the spring 23 is secured to a plug 24 which is fixed to a cap 25by means of a screw 26. The cap 25 closes the upper open end of thecasing and can be held to the casing by a set screw as clearly shown inFigure 3. The lower end of the spring 23 is coiled about and fixed tobushing 21, which in turn is secured to the upper end of the pin H. Thespring 23 is a tension spring of sufficient strength to but normallyhold the pin in its elevated position shown in full lines in Figure 2.

Secured to the lower end of the casing ID is a clamp 28 having aflexible band adapted to encircle the lower edge portion of a golf bag29 to securely mount the lower end of the casing ill to the encircledportion of the golf bag. The clamp 28 may take any form desired as longas it will, when tightened, compressively engage the bag to the extentnecessary to securely anchor the casing.

To mount the upper end of the device to the golf bag, the cap 25 closingthe open end of the casing is formed with a laterally extending boss 3|formed with a passageway the longitudinal axis of which is substantiallyparallel to the axis of the casing Hi. This passageway slidably receivesa rod 32 which is reciprocally movable relative to the boss 3!. The rod32 forms the means of the present invention for mounting the upper endof the casing 10 to the golf bag, for this end is insertable through thebuckle 33 used on all bags to adjustably anchor the lower end of thestrap 34 of the bag which forms the means for supporting the same on theshoulder of a user. To hold the rod 32 in its desired position oflongitudinal adjustment in which the upper end thereof is engaged withthe buckle 33, the boss 3! carries a thumbscrew 35 which when tightenedwill clamp the rod 32 against the one wall surface of the passagewayextending through the boss. Whether the upper end of the rod 32 beinserted under or over the portion of the strap 34 engaged by the buckleis relatively unimportant, for in either position of the rod the casingis held securely to the bag.

As the longitudinal position of the rod 32 can be adjusted relative tothe boss 3|, this permits the device to be mounted to bags of differentmanufacturers in which the distance between the buckle and the loweredge of the bag may differ. The rod 32 obviously should be made of alength which will provide a relatively large range of adjustment toaccommodate a relatively large range of distances between the buckle andthe lower edge of the bag.

To prevent the hands of the user from being scratched or otherwiseinjured by the opposite ends of the rod 32, these ends are preferablyformed with smoothly curved or spherical end faces. There is thereforelittle likelihood of a user being injured, even though his hands maycome in contact with 'the'opposite end faces of the rod 32 in the use ofthe bag.

With the device of the present invention mounted to a golf bag a usermay, when he desires to select a club from the bag, place the lower faceof the bag on the ground and then by merely raising his one foot andplacing it against the pedal [9 urge the sharpened end of the pin lldownward into the ground. After the pin II has been urged into theground the pin obviously will hold the bag in a vertical or uprightposition to allow a golfer to conveniently select a club from the bag.After the club used is replaced within the bag the golfer may by merelylifting the bag from the ground pull the pin I l upwardly out of theground, whereupon the spring 23 will return the pin to its normalposition laying totally within the casing m. It might be mentioned herethat the spring 23 is not sufficiently strong to overcome the frictionbetween the pin and the ground within which it is imbedded, so thatthere is no danger of the pin being accidentally withdrawn from theground once it has been thrust thereinto.

Some golf bags are formed with relatively large pouches carried justbeneath the shoulder strap for receiving not only spare golf balls butarticles of clothing such as sweaters or light jackets. Such a golf bagis indicated at 36 in Figure 6. It will be seen that the pouch 31 wouldprevent the device of the present invention from being mounted in themanner shown in Figure 1. To obviate the mounting difficulties producedby the particular location of the pouch 31 the embodiment of theinvention shown in Figure 6, in which elements identical to elements ofthe embodiment of the invention shown in Figure l have been given thesame reference characters.

The lower end of the casing I0 is mounted to the lower portion of thebag by the clamp 28 as in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1.Although the upper end of the casing is again secured to the bag by theinterengagement of one end of a rod 38 and the buckle 39, the rod 38,in-theform of the invention now being described, is bent outwardly at 4|and then upwardly at 42 to bring the upper end into a position in whichit can be engaged with the buckle 39 This, it will be seen, permits thecasing H) to be mounted offset from the buckle 39 but yet permits theupper end of the casing to be mounted to the bag by the interengagementbetween the upper end of the rod and the buckle. Here again the rod islongitudinally adjustable relative to the boss 3| and held in itsdesired position of adjustment by the thumbscrew 35. As the thumbscrew35 holds the rod against rotational movement as well as longitudinalmovement, the casing is securely anchored and there is no danger, aslong as the thumbscrew 35 remains tight, of the casing pivoting orswinging about an axis coincident with the axis of the upper end of therod engaged with the buckle.

In another form of the invention, referring now to Figure 8, the casing43, formed throughout the lower portion of same in a manner identical tothe casing i0, is closed at its upper end by a cap member 44 threadedlymounted to the upper wall portion of the casing, as clearly shown in thefigure referred to above.

In this embodiment of the invention the upper end of the spring 45 isfixed to a plug 46 having an annular flange 41 clamped between the upperedge of the casing 43 and the cap 44 as the latter is threadeddownwardly over the upper wall portion of the casing. The lower end ofthe spring, although not shown, is secured to the pin in the same manneras is spring 23 attached to pin I The cap 44 is formed with an integralupstanding cylindrical boss 48 having a bore therethrough aligned with abore formed through the plug 45 to form a passageway in which isslidably mounted a rod 49. The rod 49 performs the same function as doesthe rod 32 of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2. To holdthe rod in its desired position of adjustment with the upper end thereofengaged with the buckle of the golf bag, the boss 48 carries athumbscrew which when tightened will clamp the rod 49 against the onesurface of the bore of the boss 48.

There is shown in Figure 9 a further modified embodiment of the presentinvention which is particularly adapted to be used with golf bags havinga pouch 52 smaller than the pouch 3'! of the golf bag, shown in Figure 6but yet located beneath the shoulder strap 53. In this embodiment of thedevice the casing is identical to the casing I9 and is thereforeidentified by that reference character, and is mounted at the lower endthereof to the bag by the clamp 23 in the same manner as was casing l9mounted to the bag shown in Figure 1. The embodiment of the inventionillustrated in Figure 9 difiers merely in the form of the mounting rod56, for this rod, although slidably mounted within the pas sageway ofthe boss 3| of the cap 25, is curved outwardly intermediate the endsthereof and then inwardly to form an offset portion 59 passed about thepouch 52. The. upper end 6| .of the rod is substantially aligned withthe portion of the rod slidably mounted in the boss 3| and is engagedwith the buckle 52 of the shoulder strap 53 to hold the upper end of thecasing to the bag. The thumbscrew 35 holds the rod not only againstlongitudinal movement but also rotational movement, so that there is nodanger of the rod rotat ing-to swing the offset portion 59 overthepouch' 52 which might interferewithmovement of the balls into and outof the pouch 52.

It should be seen now that the device of the present invention can beconveniently and easily attached to golf bags differing greatly inconstruction as well as size. The device when mounted is rigidly held tothe bag and there is little likelihood of the device becoming loose fromthe bag. Furthermore, as the only clamping action required is that ofthe clamp used to mount the lower portion of the casing to the bag,there is no danger of the mounting means deforming the bag. As thedevice requires no openings to be formed in the material of the bag, thematerial of the bag is not weakened and its service life is in no wayimpaired.

Although the now preferred embodiments of the present invention havebeen shown and described herein, it is to be understood that theinvention is not to be limited thereto, for it is susceptible to changesin form and detail within the scope of the appended clams.

I claim:

1. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one-end of a shoulder strap adjacent to an upper edge of apouch in which spare balls are stored, comprising: a casing; a pinhaving a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilientmeans for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within saidcasing; foot-engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterallyof said casing through a slot formed in said wall-thereof adapted to beengaged by thefoot of a user tourge the pin downwardly and into theground against the action of said resilient means; an elongate rod;means for slidably mounting said rod to the'upper end of said casing,whereby said rod may be slidably moved to a preselected position whereinthe upper end of said rod is engaged with said buckle to hold the upperend of said casing to said bag; means carried by said mounting means forholding said rod in the preselected position of adjustment to maintainthe upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle, said rod beingcurved outwardly intermediate the ends thereof and then inwardly to forman offset portion passed about said pouch; and means fixed to the lowerend of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag toanchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

2. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap adjacent to an upper edge of apouch in which spare balls are stored, comprising: a casing; a pinhaving a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilientmeans for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within saidcasing; foot-engagingmeans carried by said pin and projecting laterallyof said casing through a slot formed in said wall thereof adapted to beengaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin downwardly and into theground against the action ofsaid resilient means; means closing theupper end of said casing and including means adjustably mounting a rodto the upper end of said casing, whereby said rod may bemoved to engagesaid buckle'to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; said rodbeing curved outwardly intermediate the ends thereof and then inwardlyto form an 01T- set portion adapted to be passed about said pouch; meansfixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion ofthe golf bag to anchor the-'lower'end-of said" casing to said bag; andmeans carried by said closing means for holding said rod againstmovement whereby said offset portion is held against pivotal movement toa position overlying said pouch and the upper end of said rod may bemaintained in engagement with said buckle.

3. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; apin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing;resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevated positionwithin said casing; foot-engaging means carried by said pin andprojecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wallthereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pinthrough the lower open end of said casing and into the ground; anelongate rod; means carried within and closing the upper end of saidcasing for coaxially mounting said rod for longitudinal movementrelative to said casing; said rod being movable whereby the upper endthereof is insertable through said buckle to hold the upper end of saidcasing to said bag; means carried by said mounting means for holdingsaid rod in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to maintainthe upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed tothe lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golfbag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

4. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a casing; a pinhaving a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilientmeans for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within saidcasing; foot-engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterallyof said casing through a slot formed in said wall thereof adapted to beengaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin into the ground; anelongate rod; means carried by the upper end of said casing for mountingsaid rod exteriorly of said casing for longitudinal movement along anaxis displaced from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of saidcasing, whereby said rod is movable relative to said casing to aposition in which the upper end of said rod is inserted with saidbuckle; means for holding said rod in a desired position of adjustmentto maintain the upper end thereof engaged with said buckle to hold theupper end of said casing to said bag; and means fixed to the lower endof the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchorthe lower end of said casing to said bag.

5. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap, adjacent the upper edge of arelatively large pouch mounted to the wall of said bag, comprising: acasing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in saidcasing; resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevatedposition within said casing; footengaging means carried by said pin andprojecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wallthereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin intothe ground; an elongate rod; means carried by said casing adjacent theupper end thereof for adjustably mounting said rod to the upper end ofsaid casing; the upper end of said rod being formed with a laterallyextending section normal to a body section of the rod and terminating inan upwardly extending terminal section substantially parallel to saidbody section whereby said casing can be mounted adjacent the one side ofsaid pouch and said rod moved to a position wherein said terminalsection is engaged with said buckle to hold the upper end of said casingto said bag; means carried by said mounting means for holding said rodin a desired position of adjustment to maintain the upper terminalsection in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lower endof the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchorthe lower end of said casing to said bag.

6. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; apin having a pointed lower end; spaced bearing means carried within thelower end of said casing for coaxially mounting said pin within saidcasing for movement longtudinally thereof; means closing the upper endof said casing; resilient means having one end fixed to said closingmeans and the opposite end fixed to the upper end of said pin fornormally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing;foot engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of saidcasing through a slot formed in the wall thereof adapted to be engagedby the foot of a golfer to urge the pin through the lower end of saidcasing and into the ground; a cap member threadedly mounted to the upperend of said casing and adapted to hold said closing means againstmovement relative to said casing, said closing means and said cap memberhaving aligned passages extending therethrough; a rod slidably mountedwithin said passages, said rod being longitudinally movable whereby theupper end thereof is insertable through said buckle to hold the upperend of said casing to said bag; means carried by said cap member forholding said rod in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment tomaintain the upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle; and meansfixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion ofthe golf bag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

'7. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; apin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; meansfor closing the upper end of said casing; resilient means mounted onsaid closing means and engaged with said pin for normally holding saidpin in an elevated position within said casing; foot engaging meanscarried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through aslot formed in the wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of auser to urge the pin through the lower open end of said casing and intothe ground; an elongate rod slidably carried by said closing means forlongitudinal movement relative to said casing, said rod being movablewhereby the upper end thereof is insertable through said buckle to holdthe upper end of said casing to the golf bag; means carried by saidclosing means for holding said rod in a desired position of longitudinaladjustment to maintain the upper end thereof in engagement with saidbuckle; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encirclingthe lower end of said casing to said bag.

8. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustablyanchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; apin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing;resilient means mounted within said casing for normally holding said pinin an elevated position within said casing; foot engaging means carriedby said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slotformed in the wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a userto urge the pin longitudinally of said casing and into the ground; anelongate rod; means carried by said casing adjacent the upper endthereof for mounting said rod for longitudinal movement relative to saidcasing, said rod being movable whereby the upper end thereof isinsertable through said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing tothe golf bag; means carried by said mounting means for holding said rodin a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to maintain the upperend thereof in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lowerREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,291,359 Babcock Jan. 14, 19191,599,786 Overand Sept. 14, 1926 1,731,755 Snow et a1. Oct. 15, 19291,757,471 Platt May 6, 1930 1,978,242 Zack Oct. 23, 1934

